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Copyright 2004, 2010 by Geof Cox. All rights reserved

same article for Fast Company magazine 1, he relates an experience of one of hisclassical friends when she was appearing as a violin soloist with the New York Philharmonic. At rehearsal Zubin Mehta was conducting and the players werebeing incredibly disrespectful. They weren't paying attention, they were talking toeach other, listening to the ballgame on the radio. She turned to one of her friendsin the orchestra and said, I had no idea things were this bad. He replied, We're all on good behaviour tonight because you're here. Burtons conclusion: Theconductor has all of the control, the players are disempowered, so they abdicate.Exactly what goes on in corporate organisations the orchestra conductor metaphor is not helpful.

So what is jazz leadership?

Max Depree in his 1992 book Leadership Jazz explains it thus: ...one way to think about leadership is to consider a jazz band. Jazz-band leaders must choose themusic, find the right musicians, and perform in public. But the effect of the performance depends on so many things the environment, the volunteers playingin the band, the need for everyone to perform as individuals and as a group, theabsolute dependence of the leader on the members of the band, the need of theleader for the followers to play well A jazz band is an expression of servant leadership. The leader of a jazz band has the beautiful opportunity to draw the best out of the other musicians. We have much to learn from jazz-band leaders, for jazz,like leadership, combines the unpredictability of the future with the gifts of individuals."

As Frank Barrett says: when the players get together they do what managers find

themselves doing: fabricating and inventing novel responses without a prescripted plan and without certainty of outcomes; discovering the future that their actioncreates as it unfolds.

That is not to say that a jazz combo is a democratic or communistic organisationat the other end of the scale from the autocratic orchestra. As Gary Burton adds,there is always a strong leader in a jazz group the difference is that the jazzleader wants strong players who can challenge each other, not yesmen/women but the vision is always mine.

For organisations who have prided themselves on minimal risktaking, the newworld of fast cycle change is daunting. No longer do they have the luxury of longlead times, opportunities to pilot or engineerout problems (or have lengthyrehearsals). They need to operate more in the hereandnow. Creating andimplementing simultaneously with its inherent risk taking, like a jazz band.

Leadership in the jazz world is all about personal qualities not scientificmethodology. It is about challenging, continually listening, encouraging highperformance from others, building the future that fits in partnership with all thestakeholders, and being supporting when you are not soloing and encouraging

1 Lessons on business from a jazz legend. The Gary Burton Trio, by Michael Schrage, Fast Company, Issue 06, Dec 1996/Jan 1997, Page 110

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Copyright 2004, 2010 by Geof Cox. All rights reserved

everyone to take the lead. Getting results in this environment is all about influence, not control.

The creation of Miles Daviss most famous and influential album Kind of Blue isan example of what is possible in jazz leadership. Celebrating its 50 th birthday in2009, it is the most commercially successful jazz recording of all time and stillsells in large numbers. From a leadership perspective, Davis took some massiverisks he brought together some of the great names in jazz of the time, sat themin a recording studio with no music or rehearsal time, and just encouragedeveryone to work together, build on each others ideas and listen intently to what was being played. His risk taking was rewarded, Kind of Blue was recorded intwo sessions totalling only eight hours, and most were first takes, despite the fact that the band members had never played together before that day. Thespontaneity, lack of preconceived ideas and freshness that Davis created somirrors what organisations are trying to create in their leadership style that it has become a Harvard University case study in leadership. 2

Here are some practical ideas from jazz improvisation:

Interrupt habits One of the most significant impediments to an effectivechange is habit. By definition, improvisation aims to avoid the routine and safeby seeking something unique for each moment. Constantly challenge to dosomething different, stay alert and active.

Embrace errors Miles Davis once said, "There are no mistakes in jazz." Yet inmost businesses to make a mistake is often careerlimiting. The best jazz and

the best learning often comes from making a mistake then adjusting futureactions as a result.

Minimal structure Organisations tend to have policies, structures andreporting lines that inhibit flexibility and improvisation. Jazz bands operate onthe minimal of structure to enhance flexibility.

Listen intently A jazz band doesnt know where they are going, so they need tocontinually listen, challenge and build the future that fits just like organisationsin a chaotic environment.

Everyone solos and supports If you are not soloing, then support; andencourage everyone to take the lead, especially with customers or with novelsituations.

Learn informally Musicians hang out together informally, listen to recordingsof great musicians, discuss them in great detail, memorise the great solos andjam together. [Arie de Geus makes the same point: Does Your Organisation Flock (Cuttings 29)]

2 Kind of Blue: Pushing Boundaries with Miles Davis, Prof. Robert D. Austin and Carl Strmer,reported in HBS Working Knowledge, April 2009

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